Be Good

Be good

In the 1982 movie E.T, The Extra-terrestrial, a cartoon-like and very cute young alien befriends a boy. At their final parting, the cute alien tells his new friend, “Be good.” It was quite touching.

So many and for so long believe that being good is more than enough to get them into heaven. We set the tone, expectation and standard for an all knowing, all seeing, and all being God that we really don’t know much about because we rarely spend time enough to get to know Him to the depths that He already knows us.

Who are we to even think we can and should say or do what God would would say or do if we don’t know Him, His Word, His Son, and His Holy Spirit? Who are we? Are we omnipotent like Him? Are we omniscient like He is? Are we omnipresent as Him? Not no, but heck no! Not even close.

But so many think more of themselves than anything else, and for them to even remotely realize they don’t measure up to a certain standard is unacceptable, even if the standard is especially super-naturaly God’s. A most favorite verse is Romans 12:1-2, because it exemplifies what we must do that is good. It results in the perfection of God and not ourselves. In fact, Romans 12, titled “Dedicated Service,” mentions good twice but encourages us not to be good but to do good.

Doing good isn’t just doing good. It is also not doing certain things which aren’t good. As you read Romans 12, pray through that you are being obedient to the goodness of God as He directs His course of goodness through this passage. There is a lot there at just 21 verses, and some of the guidance He gives has spoken so powerfully in not only this soul but literally countless others.

Be encouraged as you read His Word below. Be empowered by what He says. Pursue the examples He provides while pursuing the goodness He is! 

Scripture References

Dedicated Service

Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another. However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to one’s faith; if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor, not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM; IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:1-21